Flour Types
TYPES OF FLOUR ACCORDING TO USE
White flours. There are several types of white or plain flour, prepared by finely grinding the endosperm (inner portion) of wheat grain after the bran (outer coat) and the germ (seed embryo) have been removed.
1. All Purpose, top patent, general purpose, or family flours are usually made from a blend of selected wheats. Lower in protein content than bread flours, they contain sufficient protein to make good quality yeast bread products, but not too much for good quick breads, cakes, muffins and cookies. (General all-purpose flour is suitable for breads, pastries, low-sugar cakes and gravies.)
2. Baker's Patent, 2nd Patent, bread flours are milled from blends of hard red wheats. They are fairly high in protein and slightly granular to the touch. Sold chiefly to bakers because it makes excellent bread using commercial bakery equipment, but generally has too much protein (gluten) for home use (difficult to mix and mold by hand). There are two basic types; (a) for the highly mechanized pan bread bakeries and (b) for hearth bread and similar products where extra "Strength" is needed. These flours are very good for pizza and flat bread applications.
3. Bakers clears, high gluten flour are milled from hard red wheats. These flours are much higher in protein and somewhat darker in colour than standard bread flours. Major uses are for speciality bread production such as rye breads, Italian hearth, crusty rolls and multi-grain breads.
4. Top patent, fancy patent, high ratio cake flour is milled exclusively from soft white wheats. Protein content is low and the granulation is so uniform and fine that the flour feels like satin. Used specifically in high-sugar (high ratio) and angel food cakes.
5. Pastry, 2nd patent, cake and pastry flour is made from soft wheats which are low in protein and are finely milled but not as fine as cake flour. Unsuitable for yeast breads but ideal for lower ratio cakes, pastries, cookies and quick breads.
Protein and ash are typically 9.00-10.60% (10.5-12.3% db) and 0.42-0.49% (0.49-0.57% db) respectively.
6. Macaroni and alimentary pasta flours (semolina) are made from durum wheats, which have considerably different gluten characteristics that of hard wheats. These flours are quite granular and are usually a bright yellow in colour.
Protein is typically 12.00% (13.6% db) and ash content 0.65-0.70% (0.76-0.81% db) respectively.
Whole Wheat Flours. Regular and coarse whole wheat flours, also known as entire wheat flour, are prepared by grinding the entire wheat kernel. This flour contains at least 95% of the whole wheat berry.
Protein and ash content of whole wheat flours are typically 12.5-13.5% (14.5-15.7% db) and 1.20-1.40% (1.40-1.62% db) respectively.
Hard Wheat Includes hard winter wheats and hard spring wheats, which contain more gluten-producing proteins than soft wheat. Used for making bakery flours, bread flours, and all purpose flours. Soft Wheat Low in gluten-producing proteins. Usually milled into cake, pastry or cake and pastry flours. Durum Wheat Generally high in gluten-producing proteins. Used for making semolina and flours which are made into Indian flat bread, macaroni and other pastas.
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